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This a general question really, not sure if this is the place for it (it might be deleted as quite general) so please don't heckle (I am just curious).

I have been reading up on WebWorkers API and had a thought.

WebWorkers can be limited to using only small amounts of processing power for each machine/user. This could be tailored to not affect user experience and might only slighly affect browser performance (if at all).

My question is, could they theoretically be used to turn a website/application into a highly distributed supercomputer?

Is it more of an ethical question as IF it could be done, is it wrong if the user is not aware?

Craig Taub
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  • Personally, I think it this would be a fantastic alternative to using advertisements for traffic monetization. I'm not a legal expert, but it would seem that this isn't any different to collecting user statistics/information for targeted advertising (a reality that users accept every day). If your super-computer were simply a computing platform (like an Amazon Cloud type of service) then no one would ever know what type of data was being processed only that processing was occurring. The users who object will leave and the users who appreciate your lack of adds and awesome content will stay. – Brandon Boone Jan 23 '13 at 17:41
  • Also - [Queen.js](http://queenjs.com/) seems to be built specifically for this purpose – Brandon Boone Jan 24 '13 at 14:32

3 Answers3

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Yes, WebWorkers can be used for supercomputing a.k.a. distributed computing.

In fact, that's exactly what CrowdProcess does: http://crowdprocess.com/

DISCLAIMER: I work on CrowdProcess.

Websites can join the platform and supply it with processing power from the browsers that visit them without disrupting the website visitors experience in any way.

Developers can use the platform for their distributed computing jobs. Check the documentation to know how this happens: http://crowdprocess.com/doc-index

The website visitor can opt-in, opt-out or simply agree with the terms and conditions of the website that provides the platform with the browser's processing power.

We ask the website owners to tell the users what's going on in any way they find appropriate for their audience. CrowdProcess is aware that no one should power this platform against their consent and will. That's why we develop projects with a higher purpose: forest fire behavioural prediction, genetic sequence alignment and medical computer vision just to name a few.

Our vision is that one day soon we will have enough commercial applications running on the platform that allow us to pay websites for the processing power they provide.

Tiago
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It's possible, unethical and likely illegal.

It is certainly possible to do. In fact you don't even need to use web workers to do it. It is probably unethical to do if the user is not aware but it may not actually be degrading to the user experience or even noticable. It may even be illegal and you should get some legal advice.

For example, if you have an aplication where users are aware that they help folding proteins while playing your game or something like that then it may be a great application. If, on the other hand, you want to mine bitcoins using the processing power and electricity of your unsuspecting visitors then you are asking for trouble.

rsp
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  • yes I would be curious to know if it was actually illegal as it is something which a lot of application could do, all the while the user would be unaware they were performing such processing. – Craig Taub Jan 23 '13 at 09:55
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    I would also like to know that but I am not a lawyer. For example take Flash ads - they consume your computing power, heat your processor, drain your battery etc. and they do it for profit. But they are clearly visible and you are aware that they are running. On the other hand there are [bitcoin mining botnets](http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/bitcoin-botnet-mining) that most people would probably consider illegal even if they consume less resources than advertisements. I don't know if a situation of a hidden supercomputer web app was ever discovered or its legality tested in court. – rsp Jan 23 '13 at 10:04
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    I have done some research and ads are legal IF you put knowledge about them in your Terms and Conditions. I will assume the same goes for WebWorkers – Craig Taub Jan 24 '13 at 15:27
  • Just like most things, it's ethical if all parties agree on the relationship and work together. CrowdProcess is doing pretty interesting work on establishing those relationships, informing parties, and providing the service of computing power brokerage. Oh and I think it's pretty much legal. – João Pinto Jerónimo Nov 20 '13 at 15:23
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I have found two companies...

Seti at home http://setiathome.berkeley.edu/

  • Gives the user the chance to give some processing power to help them analyse data from their telescope.

Folding at home http://folding.stanford.edu/English/About

  • Users can give processing power to research labs for all sorts of scientific research and study purposes (including protein strings).

It seems it is LEGAL (via WebSockets or ajax) as long as you give details in Terms and Conditions, but not recommended as better ways to do heavy processing exist (see above 2 examples).

Craig Taub
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